Yacht 'Evening Glow', Midnight.
Standing on the uppermost floor of the yacht, Zach stared at the starry sky.
'It's strange... I can't seem to remember what happened towhen I entered that white space...' (Zach)
'My memories of it are jumbled up... and I have this strange thing in my item slot...' (Zach)
[Unknown Fragment 1/?]
(Unlike Rio, Zach didn't see any extra memories after he got this fragment... that's why there has been no new fragment chapter added to the auxiliary volume...)
'Sigh~ things are so complicated these days...' (Zach)
Zach shook his head and stopped thinking about the matter of that fragment.
'It's only been a few days and I have becso attached to these new friends... now that I know they will go away soon, I feel kind of sad now...' (Zach)
Zach knew that the only reason why they all chere in the first place was because they wanted to take part in the last test, otherwise Zach might have never met such excellent people.
As Zach is a smart person, he knows that it is very likely that he has failed the test already.
'I ended up losing my consciousness and beca burden on my comrades… I will definitely get a failing grade for this test… sigh~' (Zach)
Fade and Kira both didn't contribute much and thus they will also likely fail this test along with Zach.
Only Riko and the others could be considered to have passed this test properly.
'Riko took care of Zach who beca burden on his comrades and thus she might get extra marks for it…' (Zach)
This way, the final seven individuals who will go to the meeting of gods are already determined more or less.
Zach knew that once he was declared to have failed, he wouldn't be able to accompany others to the meeting and it might take a long tbefore he could see them all gathered like this again.
'After the meeting of gods, it is very likely that they all will be at the level where they could easily give the second year final test ahead of schedule…' (Zach)
'Then once they all bec3rd-year students… everyone will have different goals and missions… it is very likely that all of them will part ways sway or another…' (Zach)
'Today might be my last chance to see them all gathered here like this… I want to keep these memories of the tI spent with them, engraved in my mind forever…' (Zach)
Just when Zach was contemplating the future in his mind, he felt a familiar presence's arrival. Zach smiled and asked in a gentle tone:
"What? Are you having trouble sleeping?" (Zach)
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtZach didn't turn his head or even take a look, he just knew who was standing beside him just by sensing that familiar presence.
"Yeah… I had a nightmare…" (Riko)
Riko walked over to Zach with unhurried steps and stood beside him. She glanced at him for a bit and then looked at the horizon with narrowed eyes.
"It's rare for you to look so depressed, Zach… is something bothering you?" (Riko)
At Riko's question, Zach simply shook his head.
"Nothing special…. I am just a bit sad that I might not be able to see my dear juniors for a long tafter today…" (Zach)
At Zach's answer, Riko shrugged her shoulders and replied in a rather stern tone.
"We have met them for only a few days, and you are already so attached to them? You are too soft-hearted, Zach…" (Riko)
"How have you even survived until now with such a soft heart in this cruel world… sigh~" (Riko)
"Haha, you think too much… I am not really that much of a pushover…. It's just these juniors are different… they somehow won over my heart in just a few days…." (Zach)
"It's as if each of them has extraordinary charisma that attracts others and makes you look at them with favorable eyes…" (Zach)
At Zach's reply, Riko simply rolled her eyes, she didn't understand one bit about what Zach was saying.
In her opinion all of those juniors were still just random acquaintances whom she had just met a few days ago, there's no way she would get attached to them in such a short time.
Riko glanced at Zach who was staring at the starry sky and thought to herself.'They might be acquaintances.. But they helpedunderstand one thing for sure… with their unconscious help I seem to have cleared up my situation…' (Riko)
'now I understand why I am always so conscious of you, Zach…' (Riko)
'It's because you resemble my brother a lot… yes, I always feel that I need to protect you because that's what I felt for my younger brother when I looked at his frail and weak existence…' (Riko)
Riko stopped staring at Zach and thought to herself.
'I guess it will not be a bad idea to look over you until I find out about the whereabouts of the man I need to take revenge on… after that… I will commit su*cide and reunite with my brother…' (Riko)
Meeting and the group caused Riko's belief in revenge to beceven more severe than it already was.
Now her only motive in life is to just take revenge and die peacefully to end all her suffering.
Zach and others were totally unaware of Riko's su*cidal thoughts, they just thought of her as a socially awkward girl who didn't want to communicate much with others.
Except for Lia, no one sensed that she was already too far gone on the road of revenge and it was already too difficult for her to return back now.
(Take note that Riko has never told her backstory to anyone, not even Zach, thus they all don't really know what she is going through right now…)
...
After a few minutes of silence, Zach finally stopped staring at the sky and calmed himself down.
'There's no point being sad now… let's hope that I can see them all in the future soon… I should enjoy the current tto its fullest…' (Zach)
The usual smile returned to Zach's face and seeing that Zach was now behaving normally, Riko nodded her head and said:
"Finally got over your feelings? You really know how to make others worried about you…" (Riko)
"Haha, you must be joking, I never make others worried about me…" (Zach)
"Tch! You don't even know then! Yesterday when you were in your 'baby' mode, you ran around all day long like an idiot!" (Riko)
"If not forto hold your hand tightly, you would have jumped down from Ellie's back at least ten times! When we were returning back!" (Riko)
"You even madebuy food for you!" (Riko)
Hearing Riko's complaints Zach just scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment as he tried to smile it off.
"Okay, okay, tomorrow's lunch is on me! I will pay you back with that lunch tomorrow!" (Zach)
"Yes, it's a promise then!" (Riko)
"Yeah, yeah I promise…" (Zach)
'This girl… she really doesn't like doing free favors, I was thinking of buying straining equipment with my pocket money, but now I will have to use it for arranging a lunch date in an expensive place…' (Zach)
'Sigh~ goodbye my precious training equipment…' (Zach)
Thinking about that, Zach wiped the imaginary tears that fell from his eyes as he thought about how he would have to part with his money.
While the two of them were busy talking with each other.
Lia's shout cfrom below.
"Senpai! The captain said that he wants to talk to you about something!" (Lia)
"Oh okay!" (Zach)
After telling Zach about it, Lia went back.
Zach glanced at Riko and said.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Okay I should get going now…" (Zach)
While Zach slowly walked away Riko asked.
"What does the captain need at such a time…" (Riko)
Zach continued to walk away and replied in a doubtful tone as he waved his hand to bid farewell.
"I am not sure either… must be asking about the twe should head back…" (Zach)
Just when Zach was walking down the stairs, something descended from the sky at an extremely fast speed.
The object was so fast that not even Zach, an A-rank archer could perceive its arrival.
Ellie, Kai, Rio, and everyone else, none of them were able to perceive the sudden arrival of that object.
*Booooom!!!*
The object descended from the sky extremely fast and directly collided with the yacht, causing a loud bang.
The whole yacht broke apart in two from the middle area where the object landed, and a massive explosion happened.
Even the people from the city noticed this massive explosion from far away.
The noise caused by the explosion was so loud that it caused shockwaves in the air.
Massive waves rose and the broken pieces of the yacht flew away for hundreds of meters before falling into the sea.
The situation suddenly seems to have turned grim.
The mana stones that were powering the yacht cinto contact with the massive shockwave and cracked.
This caused a second explosion and this explosion was even bigger than the previous one.
*Boooom!!*
…
…
Author's Notes.
Yo! It's your beloved author here! It seems that this mission is not really over yet… let's see what the future holds in its grasp…
Question of the day.
Who do you think has attacked the yacht?
(Take a guess guys and tellin the comments…)
By the way, don't forget to use those power stones and also leave a review if you like the story. Comment your opinion about the chapter. Your support is my motivation.